In December, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ruled that anyone who owns a drone weighing between 0.55 pounds and 50 pounds must register it before February 19, 2016 and pay a registration fee of $5. That day has come, and those who fail to register their devices by today could be subject to $27,500 in civil penalties—or face jail time and $250,000 in criminal penalties.

By the time the Consumer Electronics Show rolled around in early January 2016, more than 180,000 recreational drone owners had appropriately documented their aircraft, barely a few weeks after the FAA's December announcement. If you own a drone, you ought to register it as soon as possible—though it isn't yet clear how the FAA plans to enforce its rules.

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